Playing With Fire
by myloveimfaithfullyyours
Summary: An AU story where Sweeney and Nellie spontaneously die and end up in a strange afterlife. Sweenett. FULL SUMMERY INSIDE. Based loosely upon Shakespear's Pericles. Don't own Sweeney Todd or Shakespear. Please Review, updates are based on number of reviews!


We all have the things we bring to this world

**Summery: Nellie and Sweeney deserve a second chance in life. But because of the crimes they commited, there's only one way to bring forth that chance, and that is to send them to Hell. When the devil himself find out who they are, the story becomes absolutly twisted. The devil's intention was to let them have their second life, but when the truth comes out, his fate changes. As time goes by, Nellie and Sweeney grow more and more found of eachother, while the devil is falling for his own daughter. For she looks too much like her mother, and he'll do anything in his power to keep them apart. **

**Meanwhile, there are ways to get out of this, there are four charms, including one that Nellie already has, that they must find in order to recieve their second chance in the real world, rather, than in hell. In order to pocess these other three charms they must venture together through the unknown hell . They realize that the key is simply balance. But where to find this balance? **

**The balance of the love and hate between Nellie and Sweeney, yet the need for each other they once had, and still have. They must face the obstacles that stand in the way, while still holding on to each other's hearts. **

Cut below the dotted line.

--

We all have the things we bring to this world. The little things, that make it what it is. Our own little aspects of life, our own philosophy.

Our senses of humor, our joy our laughter. Yet the world is all about balance. With life there comes death. Laughter comes tears.

Joy comes sadness, and so on. However the darker side of the balance is not there to scare you, rather than to help you realize and discover

who you are. You take a crazy winding journey, expecting to find the pot of gold at the end, but instead discover nothing.

The prize is learning, and realizing who you are as a person.

However, there are people who fear this journey, those who simply fear life.

The fear the risks they must take, and the sacrafices that they must give up. They refuse the laughter and the joy,

only seeing the sadness and tears, therefore they are refusing to live.

Some people, deserve a second life. A chance to realize that they have done wrong, or they want to try again.

But in certain circumstances, that can only be given to them, in ways you could never imagine.

Without further delay, ladies and gentleman, I present you with: Playing With Fire.

**Playing With Fire. **

"There he lies, bound to sleep,

I give the girl his soul to keep,

If he shall die before he wakes,

let him have her soul to take."

He looked through the window of the world. The one he had recieved only several hundred years ago. He believed that if heaven got one, than hell should have it's own as well. He sighed, as he wiped a sheer layer of frost off the glass. "They wanted a second life, I'm giving them both one." He felt accomplished with this clever plan.

"Get ready, we have new arrivals." His voice echoed throughout the dark, endless hallway. "Lay out the rug will you?" He called out yet another command. These idiotic workers wouldn't know what to do if he didn't make an order for it to be done.

"Quickly." He added.

The workers proceeded onto rolling out the maroon carpet, tripping over their own feet. "Let's not be clutsy now." The man's voice boomed once more, frustrated with the dimwits he was forced to use as servants,

for the masterminds were being used for something else, it was only the idiots left for him.

Footsteps began to trail down from the great hall into the room, where the man sat waiting. The fireplace fire out, the warmth in the room drained, and the big grandfather clock ticking like crazy to no particular rhythm. The footsteps got louder, as voices could be heard. Soon enough, the footsteps formed shadows, bringing Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett into the eerie room.

They're voices stopped when they noticed the man sitting in the chair. "Before we start, I'd like to point out that you belong to her, and she belongs to you. Understood?" The booming voice of the man once again echoed throughout the room. The two stood silent, giving no notion of a yes or a no. "Good." The man said, dispite the fact that neither of them had answered.

"Welcome, to hell." He said, once again greeted by silence. "Do you talk? Because I remember distinctivly hearing chatter." He said, giving them both an annoyed look. "May I ask, who are you?" Mrs. Lovett spoke, now taking a step closer to Sweeney, who wasn't about to protest. "I don't know, who do you think I am." He asked back sarcastically, gaining a shrug from her.

"Does a picture of a redman with horns and a tail ring a bell?" He rolled his eyes, resting his head in his hands. "Devil?" She asked, puzzled by exactly what this man is trying to say. He simply nodded. "But aren't you supposed to be vicious evil...and you know all that good stuff?" She asked again. "Listen lady, I asked you to talk, not go on a rage of questions." He said.

"She does it often. I advise you to never ask her to talk." Sweeney jumped in. The man smiled. "That's good to know." He said, giving them both an evil smirk. "Now, shall I give you my biography...perhaps a job description is good enough." He tapped his chin, and stroked out his dark goatee. "Let's see, as the devil...I am to punish people for THEIR actions. However, that's not what you are here for...you are here for a second life." He smiled down at them.

"Now, that couldn't happen in heaven could it? No of course not, not for the crimes you commited, but it could happen in hell, and the sweet, kind devil took the matter into his own hands..." He trailed off. "Why would you do that?" Sweeney questioned. "Perhaps...even he had a life of his own once, but it was simply...taken from him. You would know that feeling Mr. Barker." He responded, causing Sweeney to flinch at the name.

"A second life...together?" Sweeney asked. "Of course." he devil countered. Both of the adults turned a whole shade paler. "I'll even through in your own house. Tax Free." He smiled with his teeth. The both took a step back. A white envelope with gold lettering appeared on the carpet before them. "Go one, pick it up. No explosives, promise." he said, reassuring them.

A little hesitantly, Nellie bent foward to pick the note up off the floor. With this action, a golden chain, came tumbling out of her dress. She jumped, with the note in her hand. "I don't remember wearing this. I can't afford something like this." She fingered the ornament on the necklance. The golden bow and arrow.

The room fell silent, as the devil himself began to reach for the necklace. "Elenanor...Victoria..." His voice trailed. She took a step back, falling into Sweeney, who natrually wrapped his arms around her. She remaned buried in his arms, not noticing that she was in the love of her life, and instead, scared to what this man was about to do to her.

"Answer me." His voice came out in the harsh whisper, she was used to hearing from Sweeney Todd. "Are you or are you not Nellie Victoria..." She still didn't respond, despite the nudge that Sweeney gave her with his elbow. "Ellie." The man tried again. Her eyes turned from scared, to sad. "Yes." She responded.

He reached out to stroke her cheek, but she recoiled back into Sweeney's arms. "So this is how you find your way back to me...after all these years..." He stalled out, linginering on each little word. "Partners in crime...you and your little...boyfriend." Neither of them said anything, forgetting the fact that not a word of that was true. "Or perhaps it's a fatherly instinct." He said. Her eyes widened, but still no speech fame out of her mouth.

"It's cold in here." came out instead, by a random woman walking by. The tension in the room remained the same though. "I take it that your busy, Jon, I'll just come back later." She turned on her heel and began walking, when the devil spoke. "Not an appropriate name in front of others, you know that. Bella, take a look at who we have here."

She walked over in an ordianary manner, studying Nellie's face carefully, avoiding the pasty Mr. Todd, arms still wrapped around her. Apparently, the lady named Bella, nodded her head slightly. "Sister, is it her?" the devil asked again, anxiety filling his voice. A noise came over from the fireplace, whipping her head around, she saw something horrific in the fireplace.

An undescribable creature. Horrified, she screamed, pointing over to the fireplace. Unfortunetly, once her finger flew to the fireplace, flames burst out of nowhere. "What?" The devil asked, glancing over at his now lit fireplace. It was there! She pointed again, and fire went out. "You look...just like your mother." He fingered her curls.

Sweeney became more protective of her, without being aware of it. Actually, neither of them were aware of it. "Wot do you mean?" She asked, her voice quivering. "He don't like to tell the story dearie, I'll do it." The lady named Bella chimed in with a toothy smile. "I'll tell it, if that boyfriend of yours stops suffocating you." She motioned to Sweeney's arms wrapped tightly around Nellie's center.

They both blushed, but made not note of the title Sweeney accidentally gained, and Sweeney loosened his arms around her, but still didn't let go. "I suppose that's the best we're gonna get..." The woman muttered under her breath. "Alright, so once...not long ago...a man was happily married with a wife and a beautiful daughter." She was interuppted by Nellie.

"The guy wasn't a barber, and the wife didn't have yellow hair right? Because if that's the case..." She was interuppted by Sweeney, "we've already heard the story." She blinked several times, ignoring their comments and continued. "The wife had REDDISH hair." She emphasized the word 'reddish'.

She continued, "Anyways, they had a daughter...named Elenor Victoria...her mum called her Nellie, her father, Ellie. And then something happenned...it's quite hard to describe, but with a simple twist of words...and movements, their life was simply taken away. Neva' knew where your mother went, and well you father reigns down here...in hell. Thought you went to heaven until this day." The lady shrugged.

"So...basically, I'm the devil's daughter?" Her head cocking to the side, throwing the servent on that side of the room to the ground hard. "Sorry!" She shouted, wondering if she had been the one to do that. "Devil's daughter. Doesn't have to sound that bad." Bella shook her head. "No, sir, he was once...a kinder man your father." She smiled.

"What a relief. When I was alive, they called me Devil's wife..." Her voice trailed off. Sweeney, picked up, "so, the evelope." "Oh! That's right. That'd be your room, but I see that those rooms aren't fit enough...follow me." She motioned for them to follow, leaving the white envelope and it's delicate writing on the maroon carpet. And the devil looking out his window of the world.

Bella led them down a hall, her keys jingling, her eyes facing front, but still talking to them. "I, am your aunt Bella. Supervisor...kind of and counsler. Call me of you need anything." She continued to strutt down the long hallway, Sweeney and Nellie, running to keep up with her power walking pace. Finally, they arrived at a room at the end of the endless hallway.

Bella slid her key into the keyhole and politely let them both in. The room was furnished with wooden furniture, the same wood as the walls. The windows were beautiful, and the bed marking the centerpiece. The white untouched satin showed pure royalty. In the corner, stood a small box, the red velvet still beautiful as ever.

She walked over and fingered the velvet lightly, lifting the cover open. Inside, there was a place to hold two necklaces. Nellie slowly felt the shape of the one dangling around her neck. She reached behind her neck to unclasp it, but didn't succeed. She felt two rough, calloused hands undo the clasp and drop the necklace into her palm.

"Thank you." she muttered, knowing it was Sweeney who undid her necklace for her. In reality (In the living world) her heart would of beat fast, and beads of sweat would begin to trickle down her forehead, but in this world, she seemed...blind to anything other than love. She placed the necklace in the desired place in the box.

"There are three." Aunt Bella motioned to the boxes. A midnight blue velvet one, and an evergreen. She felt each of them carefully. "What are they for?" She asked, opening each one. She conclued that they were all jewlrey cases. "Balance." was all she said, before quickly saying "Call me if you need anything." Bella promptly left the room without answering her question.

Perhaps she hadn't heard, or perhaps she was avoiding the question. "Why would she do that?" Nellie wondered to herself. She slowly, and carefully pried open the blue box, not wanting to release and dangerous demons. Once it opened, she felt the slots, a key, and a lock. She opened the red one again, feeling it's slots too.

The one that was not filled with her golden bow and arrow was round. "Every arrow, needs a target." He whispered into the air. She opened the green box to reveal to empty circles. "They looked like the held rings." "Hope diamond, and the Emerald jewel." An elderly woman said behind them. "Saphire and Emerald." She explained further.

"What do they mean?" Sweeney asked, just in time to see the elderly woman, back up to the door, muttering; "excuse me." Over and over again to herself. The room filled with a silence. "Balance." She murmured, "what did that mean." She burried her face in her hands. "Night, and day, light and dark, pretty, and ugly." He simply responded.

"But those are just opposites." She flopped down on the fluffly bed. "Yes, but they're what balance the world." She shrugged, sitting next to her. "I belong to you, and you belong to me." She repeated the devil--her father's words to herself. "Yes...so I suppose it's best we not leave each other." He reasoned quietly.

"

Good...and evil." She gave an example of her own. "Well, we certainly aren't balanced." She shook her head. "What do you mean." He asked her. "Evil, needs good." She hinted that they were both evil. "We'll figure it out." He sighed and sprawled out onto the bed. "Second life..." She said dazed. "Yeah..." He responded and fell asleep. She looked up at the flawless white ceiling for awhile, before smiling and whispering to herself, "Let's make the most of it."


End file.
